Australia’s priciest suburbs are proving to be the hottest property hotspots, with new data showing the strongest buyer demand in high-end markets.
Hotspotting’s Autumn 2026 Price Predictor Index reveals that, despite affordability pressures for many home buyers, some of the nation’s most expensive markets are leading the way in sales activity.
In Greater Sydney, top-tier locations are dominating the figures. The LGAs of Randwick, Sydney, Waverley, Woollahra, and the Northern Beaches are seeing impressive quarterly sales:
- Randwick: 574, 650, 713, 783
- Sydney: 1232, 1604, 1728, 1829
- Waverley: 315, 329, 360, 438
- Woollahra: 404, 420, 475, 509
- Northern Beaches: 1108, 1270, 1283, 1573
“None of those LGAs have a median house price below $1 million and in most circumstances nothing below $2 million,” Hotspotting founder Terry Ryder says.
Among Sydney’s standout suburbs, Maroubra in Randwick LGA recorded 266 house sales over the 12 months to March 2026, with a median price of $3 million. Surry Hills in Sydney LGA had 138 sales at a median of $2.501 million, while North Bondi in Waverley led its market with 78 sales and a median of $4.875 million.
Even Adelaide, historically celebrated as one of Australia’s most affordable housing markets, is now seeing rising demand in its more expensive areas.
“For many years, the biggest news has been huge demand (and price growth) in the cheaper areas of the northern suburbs of Adelaide,” Mr Ryder said.
“But now it’s the upper end of the market that is most buoyant, including the LGAs of Burnside, Charles Sturt, Holdfast Bay and Mitcham.”
Median house prices in Burnside range from $1.35 million to $2.999 million. Charles Sturt’s most popular market is Seaton, with 187 sales and a median of $1.043 million, while Holdfast Bay’s standout is Glenelg North, which recorded 128 sales and a median of $1.36 million.
Regional New South Wales is also seeing top-end strength. Newcastle and Wollongong are among the strongest sales markets, while cheaper surrounding areas, such as the Hunter region, are less buoyant.
Blue Mountains sales are on the rise (quarterly sales 341, 405, 453, 491), led by markets in Leura and Blaxland, where median prices sit well above $1 million.
High-end coastal markets are performing strongly too. Byron Bay has a median house price of $2.5 million, while the Ballina LGA recorded quarterly sales of 235, 245, 286, and 310.
Even in Hobart, it’s the premium suburbs capturing attention. Inner-city Hobart LGA sales rose 16% in the December 2025 quarter, with strong activity in Sandy Bay (median $1.3 million), New Town, and Lenah Valley.
The data paints a clear picture: Australia’s luxury and upper-tier housing markets are the current engines of property activity, showing that even amid affordability pressures, buyers are still willing to pay a premium for prime locations.